Some say saloons in the east Anaconda neighborhood used to raffle off geese and turkeys. Others speculate the name caught on because so many European immigrants kept geese in their backyards.

A melting pot of working-class families, Goosetown was (and is) home to folks with unique stories about early life in the Smelter City — from racing bobsleds down Birch Street to bootlegging moonshine during Prohibition.

Anaconda native Alice Finnegan spent more than two decades interviewing and transcribing tales from 64 residents in compiling her new book, “Goosetown in their Own Words,” released last month by Farcountry Press.

The project, which Finnegan and members of the former Tri-County Historical Society started in 1983, is an oral presentation of Goosetown from 1900 to 1945 with chapters including the different ethnic groups, historic events and even recipes.

“Goosetown just seemed to be such an affectionate place for so many people,” Finnegan said in a recent interview with The Montana Standard. “Once we started doing research, we found so many different nationalities to share their stories.”

Irishmen, Croats and Germans, among many others, are represented in the interviews. They all came to Anaconda for one thing in common: jobs at the smelter, and plenty of them.

The area that became known as Goosetown started at the far east end of town, just past the foundry yards, and by most accounts extended as far west as Chestnut Street.

History buff

Finnegan, a 1958 graduate of Anaconda Central High School, never lived in Goosetown herself but always had an interest in the history of the Deer Lodge Valley.

While tracing her family roots, Finnegan learned she had ancestors in Montana as far back as the 1860s. Her great-grandparents operated early boarding houses about one mile northeast of Anaconda near the Lower Works.

In 1976, Finnegan and volunteers compiled Anaconda history in a book titled “Under the Shadow of Mount Haggin” as part of the U.S. Bicentennial celebration. The old photos and records were preserved in the newly formed Tri-County Historical Society, now named the Marcus Daly Historical Society.

Following an oral history workshop seven years later by the state historical society, Finnegan and the local society decided they wanted to preserve memories of Goosetown.

“This town had as much going for it as any place in the country,” Finnegan said. “Every nationality in the world came here, because there were jobs.”

Determined to finish

The historical society collected 124 hours of interviews. Finnegan interviewed 48 residents personally, and became enamored with their accounts of life in Goosetown.

“There were some excellent story-tellers,” she said. “You can’t believe some of the things they did to entertain themselves. I can’t believe they didn’t get killed or drowned.”

From big bands to baseball teams, two world wars and a major flu epidemic, Finnegan decided she must put the transcriptions into a book. But life had other ideas.

Finnegan was diagnosed with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma in 1990, and underwent a stem cell transplant in 1996. Her son, Craig, died in a car accident one year earlier at age 31.

Through illness and grief, Finnegan found time whenever she could to make the project a priority.

“I kept at it. As sick as I got, and with all the setbacks over the years, I just owed it to everyone to finish,” she said.

What seemed impossible is now finished, and Finnegan said she is thrilled the book turned out how she always visualized it.

Finnegan also hopes these stories will serve as a reminder of Goosetown’s influential past.

“I think people will see it in a different light,” she said. “It’s kind of run down now, but it was such a vibrant part of the community.”

Book signings

Anaconda native Alice Finnegan will be signing copies of her new book, “Goosetown in their Own Words,” at the following locations:

• Thursday, Sept. 20 – Beyond Necessity Gifts, 301 E. Park Ave., 3 – 5 p.m.

• Saturday, Sept. 22 – Copper Village Museum and Arts Center, 401 E. Commercial Ave., 2 – 4 p.m.

• Thursday, Sept. 27 – Books & Books, 206 W. Park (Butte), 2 – 4 p.m.

The book retails at $24.95 in hardback, and $17.95 in paperback.

— Reporter George Plaven may be reached at 496-5597, or via email at george.plaven@lee.net. Follow him at Twitter.com/@George_Plaven.